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METHODIST  EPISCOPAL 


CHURCH 


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THE  KOREA  MISSION  OF  THE 
METHODIST  EPISCOPAL 
CHURCH 


By 

The  Rev.  HENRY  G.  APPENZELLER,  M.A. 
SUPPLEMENTARY  CHAPTER 
By 

The  Rev.  GEORGE  HEBER  JONES 


Second  Edition 


Published  by  the 

OPEN  DOOR  EMERGENCY  COMMISSION 
150  Fifth  Avenue,  New  York 


Price,  Ten  Cents 


Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 
in  2016 


https://archive.org/details/koreamissionof00appe_0 


HISIIOT’  MOORE  AND  MISSIONARIES  OF  KOREA  MISSION,  ANNUM.  MEET  I NO , 1 1)0.3 


KOREA  MISSION 


I.  PHYSICAL  FEATURES  AND  GOVERNMENT 

Korea,  or  Great  Han,  is  a small  country  in  the  eastern 
part  of  Asia.  Situated  between  Japan  and  China,  its  geo- 
graphical position  is  important.  The  country,  a peninsula, 
lies  between  the  parallels  of  34°  17'  and  43° 
Position  north  latitude,  and  is,  roughly  speaking,  about  600 
and  miles  in  length  from  north  to  South  and  135  miles 

Coast  Line  in  width  from  east  to  west.  Its  greatest  width  is 
at  the  north.  It  has  1,740  miles  of  shore  line 
and  some  good  harbors.  The  east  coast  is  steep  and 
rocky.  The  tide  rises  and  falls  from  one  to  two  feet  only. 
The  west  coast  is  level,  and  the  tide  rises  and  falls  from 
twenty-six  to  thirty-eight  feet. 

In  area  Korea  contains  about  80,000  square  miles, 
being  somewhat  smaller  than  New  York  and  Pennsyl- 
vania combined.  It  touches  Russian  territory  on  the 
northeast  for  eleven  miles.  The  Tumen,  a shal- 
Area,  Rivers,  ]ow  stream,  separates  Korea  from  Russia  on  the 
and  east,  and  the  Vain,  a swift  stream,  separates  her 

Mountains  from  China  on  the  west.  Both  rivers  have  their 
sources  in  the  sacred  mountain  Paik-tu-san  (Ever 
\\  hite  Head  Peak),  an  extinct  volcano  S.000  feet  high. 
In  the  crater,  at  a depth  of  a hundred  feet  or  more,  is  a 
lake  of  great  depth  and  of  surpassing  beauty.  The 
country  is  hilly  throughout,  having  been  likened  unto  the 
sea  in  a fierce  gale.  A mountain  range  runs  nearly 
parallel  to  the  eastern  coast  and  forms  the  backbone  of 
the  country.  A few  of  the  highest  peaks  reach  an 
altitude  of  5,000  feet,  but  the  majority  do  not  exceed 
4,000  feet.  The  most  famous  of  all  the  mountains  in 
Korea  are  the  Diamond  Mountains  in  the  province  of 


Kang-Won,  “a  region  containing  exquisite  mountain  and 
sylvan  scenery,”  to  quote  the  gifted  author  of  Korea 
and  Her  Neighbors,  who  made  an  extensive  visit  to  them. 
There  are  no  plains  worthy  the  name,  and  no  lakes  at  all. 
There  are  no  long  rivers,  and  besides  the  two  mentioned 
above,  we  may  name  the  Tai-tong.  on  whose  beautiful 
banks  stands  Pyeng-yang,  the  most  important  city  in 


THE  NEIGHBORHOOD  WELL 


northern  Korea;  the  Han.  which  flows  within  a few  miles 
of  Seoul  and  empties  its  flood  into  the  Yellow  Sea.  sixty 
miles  below  the  capital,  and  the  Xak-tong.  in  the  southern 
part,  providing  water  for  the  extensive  and  productive 
rice  fields  of  North  and  South  Kyeng-Sang  provinces. 

The  climate  varies  from  tropic  heat  in  the  south  to 


severe  cold  in  the  distant  north.  In  the  extreme  south 
there  is  little  or  no  snow,  while  in  the  valleys  and  moun- 
tains of  the  far  north  the  ground  is  covered  with 
Climate  snow  and  ice  from  three  to  four  months.  In  Seoul, 
situated  between  the  parallels  of  37°  and  38°  north 
latitude,  the  thermometer  goes  down  as  low  as  zero,  but 
only  for  a few  days.  For  a month  or  six  weeks  residents 
of  the  capital  boast  of  good,  crisp  winter  weather.  In  the 
fall,  as  the  days  shorten,  the  cold  slowly  and  steadily 
tightens  its  grip  until  the  extreme  point  is  reached  in 
January.  A cloudless  sky  and  a clear  sun  go  far  to  give 
a Korean  winter  the  reputation  for  being  “absolutely 
superb.”  The  “early  rains”  are  in  March  or  April,  and 
the  “latter  rains”  in  July  and  August,  when  at  times  the 
windows  of  heaven  seem  to  be  open  and  the  rain  descends 
in  torrents. 

Korea  is  an  empire  with  a population  of  about  twelve 
millions,  and  is  known  by  its  people  as  Great  Han. 
There  are  thirteen  gubernatorial  and  three  hundred  and 
sixty-four  magisterial  districts.  The  emperor 
/ Form  of  rules  as  absolute  monarch,  and  the  system  of 

Government  government  is  patriarchal.  The  emperor  is  father, 
or  head;  the  official  class,  the  oldest  sons;  the 
remaining  sons  and  daughters,  that  is,  the  common  people, 
are  the  ones  to  be  ruled.  The  emperor  rules  by  virtue  of 
a right  from  heaven,  and  lie  can  never  do  wrong.  There 
may  be  corruption  in  the  several  departments;  there 
may  be  petty  or  heavy  oppression  of  the  people;  there 
may  be  misgovernment  everywhere,  but  these  are  one  and 
all  attributed  to  the  officials  who  neglect  or  refuse  to 
carry  out  the  benevolent  laws  promulgated  by  their 
gracious  master.  I have  heard  of  and  read  most  scathing 
denunciations  of  rapacious  and  unscrupulous  officials,  but 
never  an  unkind  word  or  even  an  implied  censure  of  the 
conduct  or  rule  of  their  sovereign.  “The  king  can  never 
do  wrong,  and  he  who  says  the  king  has  not  done  well  is 
to  be  treated  as  an  enemy.”  This  tenet  is  believed  by 
patrician  and  plebeian  alike  and  governs  political  utterance 
and  action  in  the  empire  to-day.  The  family,  not  the  in-  V 
dividual,  is  the  unit  in  Korea.  The  father  is  responsible 
for  the  conduct  of  his  family.  A prodigal  son,  an  over- 
ambitious  office  seeker,  may  waste  the  resources  cf  the 


family,  but  the  father,  the  representative  head,  must 
make  good  the  losses  sustained. 

His  majesty  the  emperor  belongs  to  the  ruling  or  Ye 
dynasty,  which  came  into  power  in  1392.  The  emperor, 
whom  I have  seen  in  audiences  accorded  at  various  times, 
was  born  in  1851 ; chosen  king  in  1864;  married  in  1886  to 


TEMPLE  WHERE  THE  EMPEROR  WORSHIPS 


Princess  Min.  He  is  somewhat  beyond  fifty  years  of  age, 
and  has  reigned  about  forty  years.  He  is,  as  compared 
with  the  ordinary  Korean,  rather  under  size, 
The  Emperor  being  about  five  feet  three  or  four  inches  high. 

His  face  is  handsome;  when  composed,  the 
expression  is  somewhat  inanimate,  but  when  engaged  in 
conversation  it  brightens  into  a kindly  and  pleasing  smile. 
His  voice  is  pleasant,  well  modulated,  and  he  speaks 

8 


rapidly,  readily,  and  distinctly.  In  talking  he  is  vivacious 
and  speaks  with  nervous  energy. 

His  majesty  has  always  been  very  accessible  to  for- 
eigners. Many  audiences  have  been  extended  not  only  to 
the  diplomatic  representatives,  on  his  birthdays  and  other 
national  holidays  or  birthdays,  but  also  to  unofficial  resi- 
dents and  distinguished  visitors  to  the  capital.  But 
little  ceremony  is  required  at  these  audiences,  and  his 
majesty  is  affable  and  unceremonious,  always  kindly  ad- 
dressing more  or  less  conversation  to  each  person  admitted. 

The  emperor,  like  most  of 
/ his  subjects,  is  a Confucianist, 
but  in  the  strict  sense  of  the 
term  there  is  no  state  or  na- 
tional religion.  Toleration  in 
religious  matters  has  marked 
his  reign.  The  perse- 
Spirit  of  cution  of  the  Cath- 
Toleration  dies  in  1866  was  car- 
ried on  during  the 
regency  of  his  father,  the  na- 
tional grand  duke  or  Tai  Wun 
Kun,  and  before  the  present 
ruler  assumed  full  control. 

On  the  occasion  of  the  audi- 
ence accorded  to  our  own 
Bishop  Ninde  in  the  early  part 
of  1895,  his  majesty  not  only 
expressed  his  appreciation  of 
the  good  work  done  by  the 
“teachers,”  as  he  terms  the 
missionaries,  but  uttered  those  memorable  words  which 
the  church  cannot  and  must  not  be  permitted  to  forget, 
“Send  more  teachers.” 

Seoul  (pronounced  Soul)  means  capital,  that  is,  the  resi- 
dence of  the  ruler.  It  is  the  largest  city  in  the  empire,  is 
situated  three  miles  from  the  Han  River,  and  twenty-five 
miles  from  Chemulpo,  the  port,  and  has  a population 
Seoul,  the  of  about  200,000.  It  was  founded  in  1395  in  the  third 
Capital  year  of  the  reign  of  the  founder  of  the  present  dy- 
nasty, when  he  discarded  Song-do,  the  capital  of  the 
last  dynasty,  for  a more  favorable  site.  It  is  a walled  city. 

9 


Tai  Wun  Kun 
Father  of  the  Emperor  of  Korea 


The  wall,  we  are  told  by  the  chroniclers,  is  9,975  yards,  or 
nearly  six  miles  long,  forty-two  feet  high,  pierced  by  eight 
massive  gates,  and  was  built  in  nine  months,  no  less  than 
198,000  men  taking  part  in  its  construction.  Seoul  is 
pleasantly  situated  between  the  mountain  peaks  of  Pouk- 

han  on  the  north  and  Nam- 
san  on  the  south.  The  city 
wall  climbs  the  most  pre- 
cipitous ridges;  the  views 
from  it,  both  within  and 
without  the  city',  are  varied 
and  extensive.  The  imperial 
palaces  with  their  imposing 
audience  halls,  spacious 
grounds,  and  beautiful  trees 
are  in  marked  contrast  with 
the  straw  huts  of  the  humble 
subjects.  The  main  streets 
leading  from  the  principal 
gates  are  fifty-six  feet  wide, 
and  form  the  great  thorough- 
fares of  travel  and  traffic. 
Electric  cars,  pack  ponies, 
officials  in  sedan  chairs,  de- 
partmental clerks  in  jinriki- 
shas,  common  people  on 
foot,  foreigners  on  bicycles, 
coolies  with  heavy  burdens 
on  their  jiggies  (pack 
frames),  women  with  bun- 
dles of  clothing  on  their 
heads,  small  boys  going  to 
or  returning  from  school  or 
on  errands  for  parents  or 
employers  fill  the  streets  all 
day  long.  Seoul  is  known 
as  the  city  of  3,000  officials, 
that  being  the  number  of  men  required  to  administer  pub- 
lic affairs  in  the  capital,  while  800  suffice  for  the  rest  of 
the  country. 

As  in  Italy  all  the  roads  lead  to  Rome,  so  in  Korea 
everything  leads  to  Seoul,  and  everybody  longs  to  go  to 

10 


CARRYING  THE  BABY 


Seoul.  As  the  emperor  and  his  cabinet  reside  here,  Seoul 
naturally  does  the  thinking  for  the  whole  people.  What 
Seoul  does, what  Seoul  thinks,  the  country  does  and  thinks. 
Shortly  after  the  close  of  the  war  between  Japan  and 
Molds  China,  when  the  progressive  spirit  was  ascendant,  I 

Public  suggested  to  an  intelligent  Christian  in  Pyeng-yang 

Thought  that  the  initiative  in  a certain  reform  movement 
might  be  taken  by  them.  His  answer  was  character- 
istic as  showing  the  mental  attitude  of  the  country  people: 
“Seoul  must  take  the  lead,  and  we  will  follow.” 

The  same  feeling  is  forcibly  illustrated  in  the  example 
given  in  one  of  the  reports  read  at  an  Annual  Meet- 
ing of  our  Mission.  The  literati  of  Kyo-dong  Island, 
when  they  met  to  offer  the  semiannual  sacrifice  at  the 
temple  of  Confucius,  were  much  excited  at  the  Methodist 
Christian  attempting  to  come  among  them.  They 
determined  to  run  him  off  the  island.  To  this  end  they 
appointed  a committee  to  wait  on  the  prefect  and  call  his 
attention  to  the  Christian,  and  petition  that  the  intruder 
be  cast  out.  The  answer  of  the  prefect  was  that  the 
Christians  have  built  churches  beside  the  very  palace  in 
Seoul,  showing  that  his  majesty  the  emperor  is  pleased 
to  have  them  among  his  people.  If  the  Christians  have 
the  right  to  dwell  in  Seoul  and  carry  on  their  work,  it  is 
folly  to  attempt  to  drive  them  out  of  a third-grade  pre- 
fecture. Xo  further  interference  was  attempted. 

The  objective  of  Christian  effort  should  be  to  take  the 
capital  for  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  Everything — com- 
mercial, educational,  official — centers  and  culminates  in 
Seoul.  Spiritual  and  active  churches,  strong  schools,  and 
well-equipped  hospitals  are  of  supreme  importance  in  the 
largest  and  most  influential  city  of  the  empire.  Success 
here  means  success  everywhere. 

II.  NATIVE  RELIGIONS 

The  visitor  to  Korea  at  first  fails  to  see  any  visible 
signs  of  religious  life  among  the  people.  Naturally  and 
properly  he  looks  for  this  manifestation  in  Seoul.  But 
there  is  nothing  in  the  capital  that  looks  like  a temple; 
aside  from  the  temple  to  the  god  of  war  outside  the 
south  gate,  there  is  little  or  nothing  to  attract  the  atten- 

11 


NATIVE  SCTIOOI. 


tion  of  the  casual  observer.  He  is  apt  to  jump  to  the 
conclusion,  as  has  been  clone,  that  here  is  a people  without 
a religion,  a conclusion  both  hasty  and  unwar- 
First  ranted.  He  has  failed  to  see  in  the  back  yard  of 

Impression  the  better-class  houses  a small  building  detached 
Misleading  from  the  rest  and  kept  in  better  repair.  This  is 
the  ancestral  tablet  house,  containing  wooden 
tablets  in  the  shape  of  a cross  of  the  last  four  generations 
of  the  family.  This  house  is  visited  on  the  anniversary 
of  the  death  of  the  father  or  mother,  and  during  the 


WAYSIDE  SPIRIT  HOUSE 

twenty-seven  months,  the  period  of  greater  mourning, 
wailings,  prostrations,  and  sacrifices  are  here  observed  on 
the  first  and  fifteenth  of  each  month.  He  did  not  notice 
the  small  stake  in  the  yard  around  which  straw  is 
wrapped,  and  capped  with  a discarded  sandal,  and  a small 
piece  of  white  paper  with  a sentiment  on  it  to  act  as  a 
charm.  This  stake  represents  a form  of  fetichism  and  is 
placed  there  to  the  honor  of  the  god  of  site,  whose  good 
will  is  assured  by  proper  obeisance  and  sacrifices. 


He  saw  a heap  of  stones  at  the  top  of  high  passes,  rude 
shrines  containing  bright  pictures  of  mythical  beings, 
large  distorted  trees  with  bits  of  rags  and  old  shoes  tied 
to  the  limbs  and  stones  thrown  at  the  base;  he 
\y  Signs  of  saw  passers-by  bow  to,  and  sometimes  spit  at, 

Shamanism  these  trees;  he  noticed  rows  of  grotesque  figures 
on  the  ridgepoles  of  imperial  buildings,  govern- 
ment buildings,  and  on  the  roofs  of  the  city  gates.  He 
watched  blind  men,  sorcerers,  feeling  their  way  along  the 


MISSION  PARSONAGE  AT  SEOUL 
First  house  of  foreign  architecture  erected  in  Korea 


street  with  a long  staff  to  the  house  of  some  high  official, 
to  cast  out,  by  means  of  wand  and  divining  tortoise  box, 
some  foul  spirit  that  brought  misfortune  or  serious  illness 
to  the  family;  or  perchance  he  may  be  on  a more  con- 
genial mission  of  selecting  a lucky  day  for  the  nuptials 
of  two  high  contracting  parties.  The  visitor  heard,  before 
he  reached  Seoul,  beating  drums  and  clanging  cymbals; 
he  saw  costly  and  elaborate  offerings  of  wine  and  fruit; 
he  looked  upon  the  sorceress  who,  with  whirling  dance 

14 


in  the  midst  of  the  anxious  inmates  of  the  house,  and  an 
indifferent,  gaping  crowd  outside,  essayed  to  cast  out  the 
spirit  that  brought  the  disaster  to  the  home — all  these 
things  are  external  manifestations  of  the  cult  known  as 
• Shamanism.  It  busies  itself  with  securing  and  retaining 
the  good  will  of  innumerable  spirits  that  have  their  abode 
in  earth  and  sky,  in  umbrageous  tree  by  the  roadside  and 
in  peaceful  agricultural  valley,  in  tiled  roof  of  the  patrician, 
and  in  the  straw  thatch  of  the  humble  peasant. 

Now  turn  from  the  main  road;  follow  yonder  man  in 
grass  cloth,  shaven  head,  beehive-shaped  hat,  rosary 
around  his  neck,  and  staff  in  hand.  He  bows  low 
Buddhist  and  speaks  pleasantly  to  acquaintances.  He  climbs 
Priest  and  the  mountain  path,  descends  a ravine,  and  finally 
Temple  comes  to  several  large  buildings  in  a shady  re- 
treat or  in  a mountain  fortress.  The  man  is  a 
Buddhist  priest,  and  the  buildings  are  a Buddhist  temple. 

Buddhism  was  introduced  from  China  in  371  A.  D.  It 
has  had  its  seasons  of  influence  and  its  periods  of  decline ; 
of  favor  at  court  and  with  common  people;  of  large  and 
prosperous  monasteries  and  of  neglected  and  ruined 
Fortunes  temples.  There  were  times  when  monks  filled 
of  civil  and  military  positions;  many  had  families,  and 

Buddhism  the  inventor  of  the  twenty-five  letters  of  the 
Korean  alphabet — Sul-chong — was  a son  of  an 
eminent  Buddhist  priest.  They  meddled  in  politics,  which 
was  one  of  the  leading  causes  of  the  downfall  of  the  last 
dynasty  more  than  500  years  ago,  and  of  their  rigid  ex- 
clusion from  Seoul  for  more  than  five  centuries. 

In  ancient  times,  so  the  classics  tell  us,  there  lived  a 
king  in  India  whose  name  was  Paruri.  Visiting  Buddha, 
he  said:  “My  kingdom  is  small,  and  for  several  years  has 
been  ravaged  by  pestilence.  Grain  is  scarce,  the  people 
are  weary,  and  I am  never  at  ease.  The  treasury  of  the  law 
is  deep  and  wide.  I have  not  had  the  ability  to  cultivate 
my  conduct,  but  I now  wish  to  understand  the  law, 
Its  Law  even  to  the  minutest  part.”  To  this  Buddha  replied : 
“Ah,  what  a great  king!  If  you  wash  all  your 
doubts  and  perplexities  to  be  destroyed,  string  up  suitably 
108  beads.  Keep  them  continually  with  you,  and  with 
your  heart  and  mind  reverently  chant,  Hail,  Buddha! 
Hail,  Dharma ! Hail,  Sangha ! Then  slowly  take  the  beads 

15 


one^by  one  until  by  degrees  you  will  have  counted  ten  and 
twenty.  After  you  have  been  able  to  count  twenty 
myriads  you  will  be  tranquil,  not  disturbed  in  either  mind 
or  body,  and  there  will  be  complete  destruction  of  all  evil 
desires  in  your  heart.  At  the  end  of  time,  when  you 
descend  (that  is,  die)  to  be  born  in  Yama  (the  heaven  of 
good  time),  if  you  are  able  to  recite  the  rosary  100  myriad 
times  you  will  avoid  the  108  places  (that  is,  attain 
Nirvana),  and  will  attain  to  the  great  fruit  of  everlast- 
ing bliss.”  The  king  said,  “ I will  receive  this  law.” 

Korea  has  “received  this  law.”  The  priests  in  their 
temples  in  the  mountain  retreats  form  processions,  chant 
the  virtue  of  Buddha,  bow  before  the  expressionless  image, 
present  offerings  of  the  fruits  of  the  ground,  burn  incense, 
make  numerous  and  humble  prostrations,  count  the  rosary, 
and  drone  over  their  prayers,  Om  mahni  padmi  hum, 
“Hail,  thou  jewel  in  the  Lotus.”  This  is  Buddhism  in 
action. 

Confucianism  is  a system  of  ethics.  It  is  not  a religion ; 
it  teaches  nothing  of  a man’s  duty  to  a higher  being.  It 
is  true  that  a vast  difference  is  recognized  between  the 
“superior  man”  and  the  ordinary  mortal,  but 
Confucianism  no  explanation  for  the  difference  is  offered. 

Confucianism  has  given  to  the  Korean  his 
“conception  of  duty  and  his  standard  of  morality.”  My 
personal  friend  and  fellow-worker  of  the  Methodist  Episco- 
pal Church,  South,  the  Hon.  T.  H.  Yun,  a man  of  ability 
and  undoubted  patriotism,  in  an  article  published  several 
years  ago,  maintains  that  “Confucianism  is  agnostic; 
that,  it  makes  no  clear  distinction  between  things  mental 
and  things  moral,  that  it  knows  no  higher  ideal  than  man; 
that  in  trying  to  make  men  keep  the  impossible  doctrine 
of  the  mean,  it  makes  them  mean,  narrow,  calculating, 
revengeful,  ever  ready  with  spacious  excuses  and  never 
given  to  generous  adventures.”  Confucianism  degrades 
woman  by  classifying  her  with  menials  and  slaves,  and  by 
making  her  virtuous  in  proportion  to  her  stupidity.  Mr. 
Yun  thinks  that  “a  system  of  ethics  yielding  the  fruit  of 
agnosticism,  selfishness,  arrogance,  despotism,  degrada- 
tion of  woman,  cannot  be  pronounced  good.  If  other 
countries  can  make  a better  use  of  it  Korea  is  or  ought  to 
be  willing  enough  to  part  with  it.”  Christian  missions,  by 

1G 


teaching  a purer,  holier,  and  better  system,  are  helping 
Korea  to  get  rid  of  this  baneful  system  of  ethics. 

Shamanism,  Buddhism,  and  Confucianism  are  the  three 
religions  in  Korea  to-day.  They  have  had  undisputed 
sway  over  the  hearts  and  minds  of  the  people,  and  what 
is  the  result?  Superstitions  of  the  grossest  forms; 
Results  licentiousness  and  immorality  universal;  corruption 
of  False  and  oppression  everywhere.  From  the  hour  of  his 
Faiths  birth  until  the  spirit  leaves  the  body  the  Korean  is 
surrounded  and  tormented  by  the  innumerable  spirits 
with  which  Shamanism  fills  the  air  and  Buddhism  his 
mind.  Poverty  is  general.  Woman  is  held  in  low  esteem,  \S 


GROCP  OF  CHRISTIAN  GRANDMOTHERS 

life  and  property  are  insecure,  and  political  intrigue  of 
every  form  is  practiced.  A bishop  of  our  church,  while 
on  an  episcopal  tour  here,  saw  the  dilapidated  and 
wretched  condition  of  the  mud  and  straw  huts,  beheld 
the  low  condition  of  the  people,  and  said  they  are  “the 
heel  of  humanity.”  And  yet  Korea  is  a well-watered 
country;  her  valleys  yield  abundant  crops  of  excellent 
rice;  her  plains,  even  under  the  indifferent  cultivation  of 
the  average  husbandman,  yield  good  returns. 

IT 


III.  METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  MISSION 

We  begin  with  our  own  church.  The  honor  of  propos- 
ing the  opening  of  mission  work  in  Korea  belongs  to  the 
Rev.  John  F.  Goucher,  D.D.,  of  Baltimore.  In  1883  he 
was  traveling  across  the  continent  and  met  the  first 
Opening  Korean  embassy  on  its  way  to  Washington.  He 
of  the  made  the  acquaintance  of  the  members,  chief  of 

Work  whom  was  Prince  Min  Yong  Ik.  He  became  inter- 

ested in  the  story  they  told  of  themselves  and  their 
country,  and  invited  them  to  visit  him  at  his  home.  But 
his  interest  did  not  end  there.  He  wrote  to  the  superin- 
tendent of  the  Japan  Mission,  the  Rev.  R.  S.  Maclay,  D.D., 
requesting  him  to  visit  Korea  to  “spy  out  the  land,” 
and  judge  of  the  possibilities  for  Christian  work.  This 
was  in  1883,  and  in  June,  the  next  year,  Dr.  Maclay,  ac- 
companied by  Mrs.  Maclay,  visited  Korea.  They  were 
made  welcome  at  the  United  States  Legation  in  Seoul  by 
Minister  Foote  and  his  wife.  A paper  setting  forth  the 
desires  and  object  of  Christian  missionaries  was  sent  to 
the  king,  and  assurance  was  given  that  mission  work 
might  be  opened,  and  that  medical  and  educational  work 
would  be  especially  acceptable.  Dr.  Maclay  was  thus 
able  to  make  a favorable  report.  Dr.  Goucher  in  the 
meantime  made  a special  donation  to  the  Missionary 
Society  of  $2,000,  so  that  the  Board  had,  with  the  ap- 
propriation made  in  1883,  $5,000  at  its  disposition  to  open 
work  in  the  Hermit  Nation. 

The  way  was  now  open,  and  toward  the  close  of  1884 
William  B.  Scranton,  M.D.,  and  the  Rev.  H.  G.  Appenzeller 
were  appointed  the  first  missionaries.  At  the  very  time 
when  Dr.  Scranton  was  ordained  in  New  York, 
First  the  emeute  on  December  4 took  place  in  Seoul ; 

Missionaries  the  leaders  of  the  progressive  party  were  not 
only  driven  from  power,  but  from  the  country 
as  well.  The  missionaries,  ignorant  of  the  full  import  of 
these  changes,  continued  their  preparations  to  leave  their 
homes.  They  sailed  from  San  Francisco  February  3, 1885,' 
arrived  in  Japan  and  counseled  with  Dr.  Maclay  and  the 
friends  there.  It  was  a time  of  anxiety.  The  greatest 
uneasiness  and  uncertainty  prevailed  about  Korea.  Japa- 
nese and  Chinese  troops  in  Seoul  had  come  into  collision; 

18 


higli  Korean  officials  of  both  progressive  and  conservative 
parties  had  been  killed,  and  the  royal  palace  itself  as- 
saulted. After  tarrying  a month  in  Japan  it  was  deemed 
advisable  for  the  missionary  party  to  divide,  and  the 
preacher  and  his  wife  went  on  ahead.  They  arrived 
safely  at  Chemulpo  on  Easter  Sunday,  the  5th  of  April. 
Dr.  Scranton  arrived  a month  later,  and  went  on  to  Seoul, 
where  he  arrived  May  3. 

In  the  capital  the  mission  was  located  in  the  western 
part  of  the  city  bv  t he  purchase  of  real  estate.  There  was 
much  to  do  and  little  with  which  to  do  it.  Native  houses 
had  to  be  repaired  or  “made  over,”  as  a room  eight 
Pioneer  feet  square  was  not  thought  sufficiently  large;  the 
Problems  language  had  to  be  studied;  dispensary  and  hospital 
opened;  school  had  to  be  begun.  There  were  no 


MUCHINAE  CHAPEL  AND  PARSONAGE  NEAR  SEOUL 


books  and  tracts  available.  The  missionaries  had  to  make 
their  tools  before  they  could  begin  their  work.  They 
went  out  to  gain  converts  to  Christ,  but,  as  everywhere 
else,  they  found  that  the  language  had  to  be  acquired  be- 
fore they  could  do  much  with  the  people.  Dr.  Scranton 
“opened”  medical  work  by  treating  in  his  own  home  the 
first  sick  man  who  came  seeldng  relief,  and  the  teacher 
gave  instruction,  thus  “opening”  school  to  the  first  pupils 
who  came  to  him.  It  was  the  day  of  beginnings,  of  small 
things,  but  the  missionaries  were  unspeakably  happy  in 
being  in  the  country  and  in  taking  these  first  steps  of  the 

19 


great  work  of  evangelizing  the  millions  in  this  land.  The 
first  Annual  Meeting  was  held  in  August,  1885. 

The  Woman’s  Foreign  Missionary  Society  sent  Mrs.  M. 
F.  Scranton,  mother  of  Dr.  Scranton,  at  the  same  time  to 
Korea  to  begin  missionary  work  among  the  women  and 
girls.  Mrs.  Scranton  brought  to  the  service  the 
Woman’s  most  ample  preparation  of  mind  and  heart,  and 
Work  was  preeminently  successful  in  laying  broad  and 
deep  and  sure  the  foundations.  She  founded  Ewa 
School,  now  the  foremost  girls’  school  in  the  country. 
One  of  its  students,  Dr.  Esther  Kim  Pak,  has  taken  a 
medical  course  in  the  United  States,  being  the  first  woman 
of  Korea  to  receive  such  training,  and  display's  remarkable 
ability  and  mental  power  in  both  medical  and  regular 
missionary  work  in  and  about  Seoul. 

In  their  early  days,  when  there  were  few  foreigners  in 
the  country,  and  the  object  of  missionaries  was  unknown, 
or  at  best  was  but  partially  known,  wrong  impressions 
were  inevitable,  and  unwarranted  inferences  natural.  It 
was  given  out  at  one  time  that  women  desiring  more  in- 
struction in  the  Bible  than  could  be  imparted  at  the  Sun- 
day services,  might  come  to  the  school  during  the  winter 
months  and  be  taught.  Some  came  saying  they  believed, 
but  to  study  more  might  displease  their  friends.  Would 
the  lady,  therefore,  kindly  “agree  to  keep  them  a long 
time,  or  even  always,  and  by  and  byr  give  them  employ- 
ment” ? One  woman  felt  her  social  rank  demanded  the 
attention  of  a servant;  would  the  lady  provide  her  with 
one?  To  such  and  many  others  the  ladies  felt  they  had 
no  call. 

The  first  baptism  was  administered  in  the  summer  of 
1887,  while  oil  Christmas  following  the  first  sermon  in 
Korean  ever  preached  by'  a Methodist  preacher  was 
preached  from  the  text,  “Thou  shalt  call  his 
First  Baptism  name  Jesus,  for  he  shall  save  his  people  from 

and  Quarterly  their  sins.”  It  is  believed  that  the  gracious 

Conference  success  given  to  the  Mission  is  due  to  the 

faithful  preaching  of  the  doctrine  taught  in 
this  verse.  Two  y'ears  later,  that  is,  in  1889,  the  first 
Quarterly  Conference  was  organized,  so  that  in  less  than 
five  years  from  the  date  of  entrance  Methodism  had  a 
foothold  in  Seoul. 


20 


With  a foothold  in  the  capital  the  missionaries  were 
not  content.  In  1886  Dr.  Scranton  made  an  overland  trip 
from  Seoul  to  Won-san,  the  northeastern  port,  a distance 
of  150  miles.  The  next  year  Mr.  Appenzeller 
New  Centers.  visited  Pyeng-yang,  the  largest  and  most  im- 
Pyeng-yang  portant  city  in  northern  Korea.  It  was 
founded  by  a fugitive  Chinese  statesman  who 
came  over  with  five  thousand  followers  in  the  days  when 
David  was  king  at  Jerusalem.  His  name  is  Kija,  and  he 
is  regarded  as  the  founder  of  Korean  civilization.  His 
well  is  still  at  Pyeng-yang,  and  on  a high  hill  to  the  north 


PYENG-YANG  GIKLS’  SCHOOL 


of  the  city  is  his  tomb.  Pyeng-yang  is  the  second  city  in 
the  empire.  It  had  a population  of  between  75,000  and 
80,000  inhabitants;  its  people  are  free  and  independent, 
full  of  energy  and  spirit.  The  writer,  who  was  the  first 
missionary  to  visit  the  city,  was  deeply  impressed  with 
its  strength.  In  1888  the  city  was  visited  and  some 
William  Christian  work  attempted.  Other  members  of  the 
J.  Hall  mission  made  occasional  visits,  but  it  was  not  until 
1802  that  a man  was  appointed  there.  This  man 
was  W illiam  J.  Hall.  M.D.  He  located  in  the  city,  secured 
property,  healed  the  sick,  won  the  good  will  of  some  and 
succeeded  in  gaining  the  ill  will  of  others.  These 


were  the  means  of  imprisoning  and  torturing  one  of  our 
native  workers.  Dr.  Hall  labored  earnestly  for  two 
years.  Immediately  after  the  great  battle  between  the 
Japanese  and  Chinese  armies  here  in  September,  1894, 
Dr.  Hall,  with  two  missionaries  of  the  Presbyterian 
Church,  visited  his  field.  The  little  company  of  believers 
was  most  glad  to  see  him,  and  it  rejoiced  his  heart  to  find 
them  so  faithful  and  firm  “ under  such  trying  circum- 
stances— true  heroes  for  Christ.”  He  writes : “ My  patients 
are  increasing  daily.  I have  several  cases  of  gunshot 
wounds.  I use  mv  bamboo  cot  for  a stretcher,  and  our 
Christians  are  the  ambulance  staff.”  He  baptized  three 


FIRST  NATIVE  DISTRICT  CONFERENCE  IN  KOREA 

men  and  a boy  the  last  Sunday  he  was  in  the  city.  On 
the  journey  back  to  Seoul  he  contracted  typhus  fever, 
and  he  reached  home  but  to  die.  But  E.  Douglas  Follwell, 
M.D.,  followed  and  took  up  the  work,  and  the  Rev.  W. 
A.  Xoble  has  also  labored  in  this  field  as  missionary 
and  presiding  elder  of  the  North  Korea  District. 

While  missionaries  were  turning  their  attention  to  the 
north  of  Korea,  they  could  not  overlook  Chemulpo,  for, 
being  the  port  of  Seoul,  they  “must  needs  go  through” 
it  on  their  way  to  the  capital.  Chemulpo  is  the  most 
important  open  port  in  the  country.  In  1882,  when  (he 


treaty  was  signed  there,  it  had  a few  fishermen’s  huts; 
now  it  is  a cosmopolitan  center,  Japanese,  Chinese,  Euro- 
peans, and  Koreans  being  found  there  in  large  numbers. 
The  Korean  portion  of  the  town  has  a population  of 
Chemulpo  about  15,000,  and  it  is  at  once  composed  of  the 
and  best  and  worst  elements  in  the  empire.  The  super- 
Kanghwa  intendent  of  the  Mission,  recognizing  the  strategi- 
cal importance  of  the  place,  secured  a foothold,  and 
in  1889  located  a native  worker  there.  In  1891  a chapel 


FYENG-VANG  HATS 


was  built,  and  in  1892  the  Rev.  George  Heber  Jones  began 
his  labors  there  and  in  the  island  of  Kanghwa,  which  he 
once  described  as  “a  Methodist  preacher’s  paradise.” 
Won-san,  the  northeastern  port,  was  early  visited,  but 
could  not  be  occupied  until  1892,  when  W.  B.  McGill, 
M.D.,  moved  there.  For  nearly  ten  years  he  healed  the 
sick,  traveled  the  country  for  miles  and  miles 
Won-san  around,  teaching  the  people,  selling  Scriptures  and 
tracts  by  the  thousands,  winning  for  himself  the  en- 
viable reputation  as  one  of  the  most  successful  distributers 

■Si 


MAP  OF  KOREA 


of  Christian  literature  in  the  country.  In  order  to  con- 
serve our  own  energy  and  promote  the  interest  of  our 
common  Methodism,  the  Mission  recommended  the  trans- 
ference of  this  station  to  the  Mission  of  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  Church,  South.  This  was  acted  upon  favorably 
in  1901,  and  our  sister  church  is  now  intrusted  with  this 
part  of  our  Korean  field.  This  is  our  understanding  of 
comity,  or  union,  on  the  mission  field. 

In  1893  Dr.  Scranton  traveled  a circuit  to  the  south  of 
Seoul  and  started  several  preaching  places.  Several  years 
later  this  was  enlarged,  the  Rev.  W.  C.  Swearer  being  as- 
signed to  it.  It  now  extends  south  of  Seoul  a hundred 
miles,  and  has  been  formed  into  the  South  Korea  District. 

Let  us  come  back  again  to  the  capital.  The  handful 
of  Christians  whom  we  left  there  in  1889,  at  the  organiza- 
tion of  the  first  Quarterly  Conference,  has  grown  so  that 
now  we  have  three  churches  fully  organized 
Later  and  doing  effective  work.  The  school  in  1887 

Developments  received  its  name,  given  by  the  king.  It  is  Pai 
at  Seoul  Chai  Hakdang,  and  may  be  freely  translated, 

“Hall  for  Rearing  Useful  Men.”  Mrs.  Isabella 
Bird  Bishop,  the  famous  English  traveler  and  writer,  vis- 
ited Korea  four  times  while  gathering  material  for  her 
book,  Korea  and  Her  Neighbors.  She  has  a chapter  on 
“Education  and  Foreign  Trade,”  and  after  speaking  of 
all  the  schools  then  (1897)  in  the  capital,  says  of  this 
one:  “Undoubtedly  the  establishment  which  has  exercised 
and  is  exercising  the  most  powerful  educational,  moral, 
and  intellectual  influence  in  Korea  is  the  Pai  Chai  College, 
so  named  by  the  king  in  1887.  This,  which  belongs  to 
the  American  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  has  had  the 
advantage  of  the  services  of  one  principal  for  eleven  years. 
This  college  is  undpubtedly  making  a decided  impression, 
and  is  giving,  besides  a liberal  education,  a measure  of 
that  broader  intellectual  view  and  deepened  moral  sense 
which  may  yet  prove  the  salvation  of  Korea.  Christian 
instruction  is  given  in  Korean,  and  attendance  at  chapel 
is  compulsory.”  The  conservative  spirit,  now  very  strong 
in  government  circles,  has  acted  unfavorably  upon  the 
number  in  attendance,  which  is  not  as  large  as  it  was 
when  Mrs.  Bishop  wrote.  The  school  was  never  more 
imbued  with  a Christian  spirit  than  at  present,  and  some 

20 


of  the  brightest  Christians  and  most  efficient  workers 
were  converted  while  in  school. 

The  Methodist  Publishing  House  of  Korea,  the  only 
Christian  institution  of  its  kind  in  the  country,  was  started 
in  1889  as  an  aid  to  the  needy  students  in  the  school.  It 
has  now  grown  beyond  its  first  stage  as  an  indus- 
Publishing  trial  department,  though  worthy  students  still 
House  find  work  to  do.  This  house  is  already  recog- 

nized as  an  essential  factor  in  the  evangelization 
of  this  people.  The  agents,  the  Rev.  D.  A.  Bunker  and 
the  Rev.  S.  A.  Beck,  are  pushing  the  interests  of  Christian 
literature;  the  output  in  Scriptures  and  books  has  already 
run  up  into  millions  of  pages.  Since  1894  a general  book- 
store has  been  maintained  in  the  center  of  the  city.  Books 
in  Chinese  as  well  as  in  the  native  Enmun  character  are 
sold.  Books  on  medicine,  science,  history,  and  geography 
are  eagerly  purchased  by  Koreans  who  as  yet  have  not 
manifested  any  direct  interest  in  the  Christian  religion. 
The  aim  is  to  supply  good  literature.  The  annual  sales 
amount  to  over  three  thousand  volumes. 

Thus  far  we  have  spoken  of  outward  growth  of  our 
work.  A few  words  about  the  native  workers  are  neces- 
sary, for  it  is  truth  accepted  everywhere  that  the  great 
and  heavy  part  of  the  work  of  evangelizing  the 
Native  country  must  be  done  by  its  own  people.  Meth- 

Workers  odism  is  raising  up  in  Korea  a band  of  consecrated, 

earnest  workers.  The  Epworth  League  among  the 
young  is  training  men  and  women  for  great  future  use- 
fulness. 

In  1887  a young  man  twenty-three  years  of  age  came 
seeking  admittance  to  our  school  in  Seoul.  His  name  was 
Kang  Chei  Hyong.  He  came  from  Quelpart,  the  large 
island  south  of  Korea.  He  hoped  to  secure  rank  by  pass- 
ing the  civil  service  examination,  but  found  he  was 
stranded  financially  long  before  he  reached  his  goal.  He 
was  directed  to  the  foreigners,  of  whom  he  had  vague  and 
most  uncomplimentary  notions,  but  necessity  urged  him 
thither.  He  was  admitted  to  the  school,  and  was  soon 
found  to  be  an  apt  student.  He  applied  to  the  principal 
for  help,  and  a Christian  book  was  given  him  to  be  trans- 
lated. He  took  the  book,  looked  it  over,  sawr  its  con- 
tents, in  a general  way,  at  least,  and  returned  it  to  the 


teacher  with  the  remark  that  he  would  be  decapitated 
if  the  government  knew  he  had  such  a book  in  his  pos- 
session. This  undoubtedly  represented  the  attitude  of  the 
people  toward  Christianity  in  these  early  days  of  our 
The  Apt  labors.  It  is  well  known  that  the  high-class  students 

Student  in  the  Royal  College,  opened  in  1886,  drew  the  pen- 

cil across  the  word  God  and  refused  to  pronounce  it 
when  they  came  to  it  in  their  reading.  A year  later  Kang 
received  baptism,  proved  himself  a most  proficient  student, 
was  given  a local  preacher’s  license,  and  when  a mission- 
ary was  located  at  Chemulpo  he  was  made  junior  preacher 
on  that  circuit,  where  he  labored  with  zeal  and  increasing 
fidelity  until  his  death,  in  1895.  He  died  before  he  was 
thirty-one  years  old,  but  lived  long  enough  to  illustrate 
in  his  own  life  the  transforming  power  of  divine  grace  in 
the  Korean  heart. 

At  the  Annual  Meeting  in  1901  Bishop  Moore  ordained 
two  local  preachers  deacons.  They  are  men  of  iron,  as 
the  name  Kim  implies.  Both  have  endured  with  firm- 
ness and  one  has  been  tried  as  by  fire.  The  first,  Kim 
Men  Chang  Sik,  is  a man  somewhat  advanced  in  years, 

of  Iron  Early  in  the  nineties  he  was  coming  to  Seoul,  found  a 
string  of  cash  in  the  road,  picked 
it  up,  and  when  he  met  the  owner  a little 
farther  on  he  restored  it  to  him.  The 
two  then  continued  their  journey  to 
the  capital.  In  return  for  the  restor- 
ation of  the  money  the  man  from  the 
country  was  introduced  by  his  new- 
found friend  to  a missionary,  and  he 
was  given  the  position  of  gateman.  In 
the  missionary’s  home  he  saw  Chinese 
New  Testaments;  his  curiosity 
prompted  examination;  curiosity  de- 
veloped into  interest.  He  bought  one, 
which  he  read  in  his  own  room.  He 
was  convicted  of  sin,  or,  as  he  said, 

“he  felt  a pain  in  his  heart.”  The 
more  he  read  the  worse  the  pain  grew. 

He  went  to  the  missionary.  Confes- 
sion, repentance,  faith,  and  prayer  were  prescribed  and 
observed.  The  “pain”  was  taken  away;  he  was  saved 

28 


KIM  CHANG  SIK 


from  sin.  The  new  power  made  him  a better  servant  and 
sent  him  forth  to  tell  his  friends. 

In  1S94  he  was  sent  to  his  old  home  in  Pyeng-yang  to 
help  Dr.  Hall  in  his  work  there.  He  went  gladly,  but 
certain  “lewd  fellows  of  the  baser  sort”  stirred  up  strife 
and  the  people  against  the  missionary  and  his  helpers. 
Kim,  with  several  others,  was  arrested  because  they  were 
associated  with  the  foreigner  and  were  Christians.  They 
were  put  into  prison,  beaten,  and  placed  in  the  stocks. 
“Curse  God  and  forsake  the  service  of  the  foreigner,  and 
you  will  be  released,”  said  the  officials;  but  Kim,  though 
he  had  been  removed  to  the  death  cell,  from  which  he 
had  no  reason  to  hope  he  would  come  out  alive,  in  the 
same  glorious  spirit  that  was  in  Polycarp  of  old,  said  to 
his  tormentors  and  judges:  “God  loves  me  and  has  for- 
given me  my  sins;  how  can  I curse  Him?  The  foreigner 
is  kind  and  pays  my  honest  wages;  why  should  I forsake 
him?”  This  noble  confession  was  made  in  the  courtyard 
before  the  mayor  and  his  attendants.  Orders  to  release 
the  men  had  been  sent  from  Seoul,  and  the  mayor  was 
glad  to  dismiss  his  prisoner.  On  his  way  home  he  was 
severely  stoned,  but  he  had  borne  faithful  testimony  to 
his  Lord  and  Saviour,  and  though  bruised  in  body  he  was 
calm  in  spirit. 

This  brave  confession  made  an  immense  impression 
upon  the  people  of  the  city.  Is  it  any  wonder  that  this 
man’s  preaching  is  believed?  From  that  day  to  this,  now 
nearly  eight  years,  he  has  grown  steadily  in  grace  and 
efficiency.  He  travels  a large  circuit,  and  never  skips  a 
village  or  hamlet.  His  life  and  zeal  are  an  inspiration 
to  our  church. 

The  second  man  ordained  last  year,  Kim  Ki-pom,  is 
one  of  the  gentlest  and  meekest  of  our  Korean  Christians. 
He  lived  in  Chemulpo  ten  years  ago.  Church  services 
were  held  by  the  missionary  who  then  lived  in  Seoul.  At 
the  end  of  the  year  the  only  visible  results  of  his  labors 
was  this  man,  who  gave  his  name  as  a probationer. 
Varied  He  was  sick,  and  his  confession  was,  “Whether  I re- 
Talents  cover  from  this  sickness  or  not,  I must  do  this  doc- 
trine.” When  the  missionary  went  to  live  at  Che- 
mulpo this  man  received  special  attention,  and  he  soon 
developed  into  a faithful  disciple.  In  Chemulpo,  in  Won- 

29 


san,  in  the  Yellow  Province  he  is  making  full  proof  of  his 
ministry. 

There  are  others  following;  men  from  the  literary  class 
and  men  from  the  farm;  men  who  have  declined  official 
promotion  and  pecuniary  advance- 
ment in  order  to  be  free  to  preach 
the  blessed  gospel.  They  are  coming 
up  by  the  way  of  the  class  leader, 
exhorter,  local  preacher,  tried  and 
tested  at  every  point;  men  who  have 
experience,  and  men  who  realize  that 
courage  and  devotion,  and  the 
power  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  are  needed 
to  save  this  land  from  its  lost  con- 
dition. 

It  is  less  than  fifteen  years  since 
the  first  man  was  baptized;  a few 
months  more  than  twelve  years 
since  the  first  Quarterly  Conference  was  organized  We 
have  now  (statistics  of  1902)  three  presiding  elders, 
Summary  districts,  1,290  members;  4,559  probationers;  14 
of  local  preachers ; 47  Sunday  schools,  and  47  churches. 

Results  The  church  contributed  for  pastoral  support,  current 
expenses,  church  buildings,  and  benevolent  causes, 
3,220  yen,  or  $1 ,000.  “What  hath  God  wrought!”  (See 
page  40  for  statistics  for  1905.)  ' 

IV.  WORK  OF  OTHER  CHURCHES  AND 
AGENCIES 

In  the  summer  of  1884  H.  N.  Allen,  M.D.,  of  Nanking, 
China,  visited  Korea,  and  decided  to  remain,  and  to  him 
belongs  the  honor  of  beginning  the  first  mission  and  of 
opening  the  country  to  medical  and  Christian 
Presbyterian  work.  At  the  time  of  the  emeute  the  following 
Churches  December  he  rendered  such  eminent,  skillful,  and 
successful  services  to  Prince  Min  Yong  Ik,  who 
was  horribly  mutilated  in  the  melee  that  he  attracted  the 
immediate  and  favorable  attention  of  the  court.  In  April 
the  next  year  the  Royal  Government  Hospital  was  opened 
under  the  directorship  of  Dr.  Allen.  Over  10,000  patients 
were  treated  the  first  year  and  great  good  was  done  in 

30 


KIM  KI-POM 


breaking  clown  the  stupid  and  unreasoning  prejudice 
against  foreigners.  In  the  spring  of  this  same  year  the 
Rev.  H.  G.  Underwood  and  J.  W.  Heron,  M.D.,  came  to 
Korea.  The  former  engaged  in  evangelistic  work,  and 
the  latter  at  once  entered  the  hospital.  About  the  year 
1890  the  movement  toward  the  evangelization  of  those 
beyond  Seoul  began.  In  Pyeng-yang,  under  the  leader- 
ship of  the  Rev.  S.  A.  Moffett,  D.D.,  one  of  the  greatest 
works  of  grace  found  anywhere  in  the  whole  world  has  gone 
on  and  has  spread  over  fifty-four  counties.  In  the  south- 
cun  part  of  the  empire  the  mission  has  stations  at  Fusan 
and  Taiku.  This  is  the  strongest  Protestant  mission  in  the 
country,  though  all  the  Presbyterian  mis- 
sions in  Korea  work  together  and  do  not 
overlap.  'Phis  mission  in  1901  had  4,784 
members,  and  numbered  17,559  catechu- 
mens and  adherents.  These  contributed 
for  all  purposes  $0,400. 

The  Australian  Presbyterian  Mission 
was  founded  by  Rev.  John  Henry  Davies 
and  his  sister  in  1889.  The  mission  has  but 
one  station,  and  that  is  at  Fusan. 

The  Southern  Presbyterian  Mission  was 
opened  in  1892  by  the  arrival  of  six  mis- 
sionaries. They  remained  in  Seoul  for  a 
few  years,  and  then  moved  to  the  two 
Chel-La  provinces  in  the  southwestern 
part  of  Korea.  Here  they  have  t hree  wcll- 
mannecl  and  well-located  stations  at  Chen- 
ju,  the  capital,  Mok-po,  and  Kun-san. 

The  Presbyterian  Church  of  Nova 
Scotia  began  work  in  Won-san  in  1897, 
and  have  the  whole  northeastern  country  allotted  to  them. 

They  have  stations  at  Won-san,  Ham-heung, 
Methodist  and  Seng-chen. 

Episcopal  The  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  South, 

Church,  South  visited  Korea  in  1895  in  the  persons  of  Bishop 
Hendrix  and  the  Rev.  C.  F.  Reid,  D.D.  The 
mission  was  opened  the  next  year  with  Dr.  Reid  as 
superintendent.  They  have  three  stations,  Seoul,  Song- 
do,  and  Won-san,  and  an  extensive  and  rapidly  growing 
country  work.  The  mission  had,  in  the  year  1901,  seven- 

31 


O SYEK  HYENG 
Local  Preacher 


teen  foreign  workers,  900  members  and  probationers, 
and  raised  the  preceding  year  nearly  $300  for  the  support 
of  the  gospel.  The  two  Methodist  missions  are  working 
in  harmony  in  Korea.  In  theological  classes  for  helpers 
the  two  combine.  May  they  unite  in  a general  educa- 
tional policy. 

The  Young  Men’s  Christian  Association  entered  Korea 
in  1900  by  the  appointment  of  Mr.  Phillip  L.  Gillett, 
general  secretary. 

The  work  of  the  Bible  Societies  must  not  be  over- 
looked in  a review  of  the  agencies  at  work  in  evangelizing 
this  country.  The  American 
Bible  Society,  the  British  and 
Foreign  Bible  Society, 

Association  the  National  Bible  So- 
and  Bible  ciety  of  Scotland,  are 
Societies  carrying  on  the  work  of 
translating,  publishing, 
and  circulating  the  Scriptures. 

On  the  Board  of  Translators 
have  served  the  Rev.  H.  G. 

Underwood,  D.D.,  and  the  Rev. 

J.  S.  Gale  of  the  North  Pres- 
byterian Mission;  the  Rev.  W. 

B.  Scranton,  D.D.,  and  the  Rev. 

H.  G.  Appenzeller  of  the  Meth- 
odist Episcopal  Mission;  and  the 
Rev.  W.  D.  Reynolds  of  the 
Presbyterian  Church,  South. 

The  New  Testament  has  been 
completed  and  much  work  done 
on  the  Old.  The  circulation  in  Bibles  and  Old  Testaments 
(Chinese),  371;  New  Testaments,  5,384;  portions  of 
Scriptures,  23,272;  or  a grand  total  of  29,027  books  as  the 
total  output  for  one  year. 

The  Church  of  England  Mission  in  Korea  was 
Church  of  started  in  the  winter  of  1890-91  by  the  Right  Rev. 
England  Bishop  Charles  John  Corfe,  D.D.,  sometime  chap- 
lain in  the  Royal  Navy,  with  six  missionaries  and 
two  doctors.  It  has  three  stations,  Seoul,  Chemulpo, 
and  on  the  island  of  Kanghwa.  There  are  twenty-four 
workers,  and  medical  work  is  receiving  special  attention. 


P M 


SUSAN  NO 

Pyeng-yang  Bible  Woman 


The  mission  of  the  Roman  Catholic  Church  is  the 
oldest  and  the  largest  Christian  mission  in  Korea.  The 
first  European  missionary  reached  the  Hermit  Kingdom 
in  1863,  but  work  had  been  done  here  long  before 
Roman  that  time.  The  mission  is  conducted  by  the  mis- 
Catholic  sionaries  of  the  Societe  des  Missions  des  Estrangeres 
Mission  of  France,  and  not,  as  is  frequently  supposed,  by 
the  Jesuits.  The  most  imposing  as  well  as  the  most 
prominent  building  in  Seoul  is  the  cathedral,  erected  at  a 
cost  of  about  $40,000.  Bishop  G.  Mutel  is  at  the  head  of 
the  mission,  and  he  has  a large  corps  of  priests  and  nuns. 
Within  the  last  decade  several  Koreans  have  been  or- 
dained priests.  They  number  43,000  communicants  and 
7,000  catechumens. 

The  Greek  Church  of  Russia  sent  priests  to  Korea  in 
1896,  not,  as  it  was  then  alleged,  with  the  primary  object 
of  converting  Koreans,  but  for  the  benefit  of  the 
Greek  Russians  in  Korea.  The  services  are  held  in  a part 
Church  of  the  large  legation  building.  In  more  recent 
years  Koreans  have  been  admitted. 

On  a Sunday  morning  in  1901  at  the  hour  for  worship 
we  were  standing  on  our  front  porch.  From  the  east  came 
the  sweetest  tones  of  the  cathedral  bell  calling  Catholics 
to  their  mass;  from  the  north  the  chimes  at  the 
Sabbath  Russian  Legation  called  “devout  Greeks”  to  their 
Bells  service;  from  the  hill  opposite  the  house  came  the 

sounds  of  the  bell  calling  the  Methodists  of  First 
Church  to  their  devotion.  Thus,  in  this  city  where,  when 
we  first  came,  there  were  no  cathedrals,  temples,  or 
churches,  now  there  are  numerous  places  to  which  Ko- 
reans can  go  and  worship  the  Lord  their  God.  May  the 
day  not  be  far  distant  when  true  worshipers  from  the 
east,  from  the  north,  from  the  south,  and  from  the  west, 
shall  everywhere  crowd  the  courts  of  the  Lord’s  house  on 
his  day,  and  worship  him  in  spirit  and  in  truth. 

V.  THE  CALL  TO  ADVANCE 

The  last  century  marked  a good  beginning  in  Christian 
work  in  Korea.  Strategical  points  were  occupied.  The 
banner  of  our  King  was  unfurled.  We  have  some  good 
Christian  tracts  and  the  whole  of  the  New  Testament  in 

33 


the  native  tongue;  we  have  hospitals  in  the  chief  cities, 
and  a few  schools  begun;  we  have  places  of  worship  in 
the  principal  cities  and  towns,  and  in  many  hamlets. 

The  call  now  is  for  us  to  advance  and  take  the 
A Good  whole  empire  for  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  We  give 
Beginning  a few  reasons  or  tokens  of  encouragement. 

The  wonderful  success  God  has  given  his  serv- 
ants in  the  past  should  spur  us  on  to  greater  efforts  in  the 
future.  God  has  opened  wide  the  doors  that  once  were 
so  tightly  closed.  The  missionary  goes  everywhere  and  finds 


SEOUL  CHRISTIAN  WOMEN  AND  GIRLS 


a ready  hearing  always.  With  this  comes  the  greatest  re- 
sponsibility. The  people  are  calling,  and  we  may  not  be 
indifferent.  They  must  be  fed.  The  condition  of 
The  Spur  the  people  is  hopeless  without  the  uplifting,  re- 
of  Success  fining,  sanctifying  power  of  the  gospel.  This  is 
and  Need  being  recognized  more  and  more  by  the  more  pro- 
gressive Koreans.  A young  man,  formerly  a 
member  of  our  school,  sent  us  recently  an  article  written 
in  intelligible  English,  in  which  he  gives  expression  to  this 
sentiment:  “As  far  as  spiritual  salvation  is  concerned, 

34 


Christianity  is  the  only  foundation  upon  which  the  future 
prosperity  of  our  country  can  be  based.”  He  is  simply 
stating  a historical  truth.  Buddhism  wrecked  the  last 
dynasty  after  a supremacy  of  four  hundred  and 
Heathen  eighty  years;  Confucianism  has  held  sway  for  more 
Religions  than  five  hundred  years,  and  has  brought  the  country 
a Failure  to  the  verge  of  ruin;  Shamanism,  with  its  gods 
many  and  spirits  innumerable,  has  failed  to  deliver 
its  myriads  of  devotees  from  the  deepest  ignorance  and 
darkest  superstition.  Property  is  insecure,  the  standard 
of  education  is  low,  corruption  prevails  everywhere,  the 
people  are  oppressed,  and  life  is  neither  safe  nor  sacred. 
Such  is  the  awful  condition  of  the  country.  Christianity 
alone  can  save  the  individual  and  the  state. 

The  zeal  of  the  infant  church  should  inspire  the  workers 
on  the  field  and  the  friends  abroad.  The  Korean  Christians 
are  unceasingly  active.  A tract  is  accepted,  a book  is 
bought,  a meeting  is  attended,  an  impression  made, 
Zeal  of  a desire  to  know  more  aroused;  then  follow  regular 
Converts  attendance,  conversion,  and  entrance  into  the 
church.  But  they  do  not  stop  here.  Acquaintances, 
friends,  and  relatives  are  sought  , importuned  and  reasoned 
with  on  righteousness,  temperance,  and  judgment  to  come. 
They  succeed  in  their  efforts.  Our  people  give  liberally 
and  cheerfully.  It  is  safe  to  help  those  who  help  them- 
selves, and  this  the  Korean  Church  is  doing  more  and  more. 
Some  of  the  leaders  are  making  noble  sacrifices  for  the 
spread  of  the  Word.  In  the  cold  of  winter  and  in  the 
heat  of  summer;  in  the  crowded  city  and  at  the  country 
market;  in  the  library  of  the  Confucian  scholar  and  in 
the  comfortless  wayside  inn;  in  the  lonely  country  farm- 
house and  in  the  privacy  of  the  inner  room,  where  the 
women  are  secure  from  molestation,  they  bear  glad  and 
cheerful  testimony  to  the  power  of  Christ  to  save  from 
sin.  They  receive  abuse,  accept  ostracism,  endure  cruel 
mockings,  even  bonds  and  imprisonments,  in  order  to 
obtain  a good  report  through  faith. 

Twenty-one  men  attended  our  winter  theolog- 
Ministerial  ical  class  here  at  Seoul.  At  the  close  of  the  session 
Motives  the  question,  “Why  are  you  constrained  to  go  and 
preach  the  gospel  to  your  own  people?”  was  asked. 
Though  not  required,  half  of  them  wrote  out  their 

35 


answers,  and  they  give  probably  the  best  reason  why 
these  men  preach.  Nearly  every  one  of  them  places 
the  divine  command,  “Go  ye  into  all  the  world,”  first. 
Every  one  recognizes  his  call  in  this  commission.  Next 
comes  the  example  set  by  our  Saviour,  and  close  to  this 
comes  the  lost,  helpless,  and  ruined  condition  of  the  people 
as  a powerful  motive  to  take  the  gospel  to  them.  One 
based  his  call  on  John  3.  16,  while  one  Boanerges,  a man 
advanced  in  years,  gave  as  his  sufficient  reason  the  cer- 
tainty of  judgment  to  come  and  the  necessity  of  being 
ready.  These  are  the  sentiments  that  actuated  our  leading 
preachers  and  helpers,  and  they  no  doubt  are  representa- 
tive of  the  feelings  of  the  whole  church. 


SUPPLEMENTARY  CHAPTER 

The  Korea  Mission — 1903-1905 

The  years  which  have  passed  since  the  events  recorded 
in  the  last  chapter  of  this  booklet  have  been  filled  with 
many  experiences  for  the  church  in  Korea,  some  of  them 
being  of  the  highest  importance  as  related  to  the  work 
of  evangelization.  One  of  the  most  disastrous  was  the 
death  of  Rev.  Henry  G.  Appenzeller,  author 
Death  of  H.  G.  of  this  booklet.  This  sad  event  occurred  on 
Appenzeller  June  11,  1902,  while  Mr.  Appenzeller  was 
proceeding  to  a meeting  of  the  Board  of 
Bible  Translators  at  Mokpo,  in  the  southern  part  of 
Korea.  At  the  Annual  Meeting  of  the  Mission,  just  a 
short  time  previous  to  this,  Mr.  Appenzeller  had  been 
appointed  presiding  elder  of  the  South  Korea  District, 
and  had  accompanied  Bishop  Moore  to  the  dedication 
of  a church  on  his  district.  On  the  way  they  were  at- 
tacked by  Japanese  railway  coolies  and  seriously  injured. 
This  delayed  Mr.  Appenzeller  in  Seoul  in  order  to  appear 
against  the  offending  coolies,  and  he  was  not  able  to  get 
off  to  the  meeting  of  the  Bible  translators  until  the  sailing 
of  the  Osaka  Shosen  Kaisha  steamer  Kumagawa.  This 
ill-fated  boat  was  rammed  by  another  steamer  of  the 
same  line,  at  midnight,  June  11,  about  thirty  miles 
south  of  Chemulpo  and  almost  immediately  sank,  carry- 
ing with  her  Mr.  Appenzeller,  his  Korean  secretary,  and 

3G 


a little  girl  from  our  girls’  school  in  Seoul,  whom  he  was 
taking  back  to  her  parents  in  Mokpo.  it  is  not  possible 
because  of  lack  of  space  to  here  pay  tribute  to  the  work 
and  worth  of  Henry  G.  Appenzeller.  One  of  the  founders 
of  Christ’s  kingdom  in  Korea,  he  united  to  a noble  man- 
hood talents  and  excellences  which  place  him  among 
the  foremost  missionaries  of  the  church.  With  him 
perished  a great  fund  of  historical  information,  a variety 
of  experience,  and  splendid  capabilities,  which  constitute 
an  irreparable  loss  to  the  Mission. 

Chief  among  the  events  which  have  happened,  in  its 
wide-reaching  consequences,  has  been  the  war  between 
Japan  and  Russia.  Korea 
was  the  precipitat  ing  cause 
of  this  terrible 
The  Russo-  conflict,  and  here 
Japanese  War  the  first  battles, 
both  on  sea  and 
land,  took  place.  As  was 
the  case  at  the  termina- 
tion of  the  China-Japan 
war,  the  first  article  in 
the  treaty  of  peace  be- 
tween Japan  and  Russia 
deals  with  the  status  of 
Korea.  During  the  course 
of  the  war,  our  mission- 
aries remained  steadily  at 
their  posts,  and  though 
the  work  for  a short  time 
during  the  passage  of  the 
armies  through  Korea  was 
disturbed,  soon  the  storm 
of  war  passed  across  the  ^ alu,  and  our  workers  became 
free  to  carry  on,  with  uninterrupted  diligence,  the  duties 
and  responsibilities  which  were  theirs.  One  effect  of 
the  war  was  apparently  to  greatly  increase  the  number 
of  Koreans  coming  into  the  church,  and  a harvest  eclip- 
sing anything  in  the  previous  history  of  the  Mission  was 
garnered  into  the  Master’s  kingdom. 

\\  ith  the  large  and  rapid  increase  both  in  the  number 
of  churches  and  of  converts,  the  Mission  has  been  able  to 

37 


REV.  IT.  G.  APPENZEI.LER 


utilize,  in  a large  degree,  native  agency  in  the  work  of 
evangelization.  From  the  early  days  of  the  Mission 
there  has  prevailed  among  the  Korean  converts  a very 
high  conception  of  the  privileges  and  responsibilities  of 
church  membership.  A Korean  Christian  is  al- 
Character  of  wayS  more  than  a mere  church  member,  he  is 
Christians  a worker  giving  his  services  freely  and  gladly 
to  extend  the  knowledge  of  Christ  among  his 
neighbors.  It  has  not  been  an  unusual  thing  for  a pas- 
tor of  a local  church  to  have  not  less  than  one  third  of 
the  entire  membership  of  his  church  on  the  streets  of 
a Sunday  afternoon  engaged  in  house-to-house  visitation 
and  personal  work  among  their  unconverted  neighbors. 
This  work  has  developed  a large  number  of  native  work- 
ers, earnest,  consecrated,  and  diligent  people,  their  chief 
need  being  a thorough  training  for  this  service.  This  the 
Mission  supplies  in  a graded  series  of  training  classes 
forming  one  of  the  most  interesting  features  of  our  work. 

These  training  classes  are  of  three  grades.  First  the 
local  class,  composed  of  all  volunteer  workers  on  a group 
of  charges  contiguous  to  each  other.  These  assemble  in 
some  central  village,  with  the  missionary  as  their 
ining  instructor,  and  with  the  Bible,  the  catechism,  and  the 
ses  more  elemental  religious  books  for  their  text-books 
give  a week  or  ten  days  to  earnest  study  and 
prayer.  The  second  grade  consists  of  the  district  class, 
which  ordinarily  meets  once  or  twice  a year,  and  is 
composed  of  all  local  preachers,  exhorters,  class  leaders, 
Sunday  school  officers  and  teachers,  stewards,  and  trustees, 
with  other  volunteer  workers  who  may  be  sufficiently 
advanced  to  take  the  work.  Here  the  missionary  will 
be  assisted  by  one  or  two  brother  missionaries,  and  the 
course  of  instruction  usually  takes  up  a gospel  and  one 
of  the  epistles,  every  chapter  and  verse  being  thoroughly 
studied;  lectures  and  instruction  in  Christian  experience, 
the  Methodist  Discipline,  the  duties  and  responsibilities 
of  the  various  officers  in  the  church,  the  ritual,  scripture 
history  and  geography,  and  other  useful  studies,  especial 
attention  being  paid  to  soul-winning  and  its  methods. 
The  third  and  highest  grade  is  the  theological  class,  com- 
posed of  the  most  advanced  men  in  the  ministry.  Some 
effort  has  been  made  to  give  these  men  an  idea  of  a theo- 

38 


logical  course.  At  the  present  time,  owing  to  the  lack  of 
all  text-books,  and  the  fact  that  the  students  can  be 
secured  only  for  two  or  three  weeks  each  year,  the  in- 
struction has  been  purely  elemental  in  its  character,  but 
men  have  been  equipped  for  good  service  for  the  Master, 
and  out  of  this  graded  series  of  classes  will  develop  our 
future  theological  seminary.  This  work  is  always  at- 
tended with  most  encouraging  experiences.  Oftentimes 
the  meeting  of  the  classes  proves  to  be  a time  of  Pente- 
cost. In  them  the  wives  of  the  workers  and  some  of  the 
Bible  women  join,  and  we  have  found  that  these  women 
are  as  capable  of  advanced  instruction  as  the  men.  It 
is  in  connection  with  these  classes  that  the  spirit  of  union 
and  cooperation  among  the  missionaries  has  found  prac- 
tical manifestation.  The  missionaries  of  both  our  own 
church  and  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  South,  have 
so  arranged  the  work  among  themselves  that  they  are 
organized  into  a single  faculty,  bringing  the  workers 
together  from  both  Missions,  to  union  district  and  theo- 
logical classes.  This  has  increased  the  strength  both  of 
native  and  foreign  workers  a hundredfold.  Nhe  same 
spirit  of  cooperation  has  prevailed  among  the  Presby- 
terian Missions  at  work  in  Korea,  and  already  a proposi- 
tion has  been  made  for  the  combined  Presbyterian  classes 
to  unite  with  the  combined  Methodist  classes  in  the 
formation  of  centralized  classes  for  instruction  on  this 
graded  system  throughout  the  entire  Christian  church  in 
Korea.  Surely  this  indicates  the  dawning  of  a bright 
day  for  missions  in  Korea. 

An  excellent  symptom  of  the  rapid  growth  of  the 
Mission  is  found  in  the  creation  of  new  presiding  elders’ 
districts.  Until  1902  the  entire  empire  of  Korea  con- 
stituted one  presiding  elcler’s  district,  with 
Development  mission  stations  at  Seoul,  Chemulpo,  and 
and  Pyeng-yang.  This  work,  however,  had  so 
Organization  grown  that  the  work  clustering  around  the 
three  mission  stations  was  organized  by  Bishop 
Moore  into  presiding  elders’  districts,  the  Seoul  work 
becoming  known  as  the  South  Korea  District,  Dr.  William 
B.  Scranton,  presiding  elder;  the  Pyeng-yang  work  as  the 
North  Korea  District,  Rev.  \\  . A.  Noble  presiding  elder, 
and  the  Chemulpo  work  as  the  West  Korea  District,  Rev. 

39 


George  Heber  Jones  presiding  elder.  Out  of  these  three 
districts  a fourth  district,  the  Whang-hai  District,  was 
organized  in  1905  by  Bishop  Harris.  At  the  General 
Conference  of  1905  Korea  asked  for  recognition  as  a 
Mission  Conference,  and  for  an  enabling  act  to  organize, 
if  possible,  during  the  following  quadrennium,  as  an  An- 
nual Conference.  This  was  granted.  In  this  connection 
we  should  mention  that  Korea  and  Japan  were  combined 
by  the  General  Conference 
into  one  episcopal  juris- 
diction, and  the  Rev.  M. 

C.  Harris,  D.D.,LL.D.,the 
veteran  missionary  of  Ja- 
pan, was  elected  mission- 
ary bishop.  The  first 
year  of  Bishop  Harris’s 
administration  in  Korea 
has  been  marked  by  his 
enthusiastic  reception  as 
the  leader  of  the  church, 
and  he  has  already  greatly 
endeared  himself  to  the 
hearts  of  the  missionaries 
and  the  Korean  church 
alike. 

A noteworthy  event , 
during  the  period  under 
review,  has  been  the  com- 
pletion of  the  translation 
of  the  New  Testament  into  the  Korean  language.  The 
Scriptures  stand  vitally  related  to  the  perma- 
Bible  nence  ami  success  of  the  Christian  Church.  The 

Translation  truths  found  in  them  are  both  bread  of  life  and 
water  of  life  to  the  individual  Christian.  But  no 
satisfactory  Christian  literature  is  possible  until  the 
Scriptures  have  fixed  the  terms  in  which  Christian  truth 
may  be  stated.  The  work  of  translating  the  Bible  into 
any  foreign  tongue  is  therefore  of  the  highest  historical 
character.  In  Korea  the  Methodist  Mission  has  played 
a most  honorable  part  in  this  work.  At  the  first  organi- 
zation of  the  Board,  Dr.  Scranton  and  Mr.  Appenzeller 
were  made  members.  When  their  places  became  vacant 

40 


BISHOP  HARRIS 


by  the  return  of  Dr.  Scranton  to  the  United  States,  and 
the  sad  death  of  Mr.  Appenzeller,  already  related.  Rev. 
George  Heber  Jones  was  elected  to  fill  the  place.  On 
Dr.  Scranton’s  return  to  the  field  he  was  reelected  to  this 
most  honorable  post.  The  completion  of  the  translation 
of  the  New  Testament,  in  1904,  was  regarded  by  the  mis- 
sionaries as  a jubilee  event  in  the  life  of  the  Christian 
Church  in  Korea,  and  was  so  celebrated.  The  work  of 
publishing  this  translation,  laborious  and  exacting  in 
character  as  it  is,  is  being  pushed  to  a successful  com- 
pletion by  the  Bible  Societies  of  Great  Britain  and  the 
United  States,  our  own  American  Bible  Society  bearing 
nearly  one  half  of  the  expense. 

The  growth  of  the  work  in  Korea  has  been  of  the  most 
encouraging  character.  In  its  rapidity  and  its  solidity, 
it  has  been  a subject  of  wonder  to  those  familiar  with  the 
facts,  but  the  church  at  home  has  responded  only 
Need  of  jn  the  most  inadequate  manner  to  the  pressing 
Larger  needs  of  the  work  in  this  very  fruitful  field.  The 

Support  force  of  men  to  carry  on  the  work  has  been  pitifully 

inadequate.  Instead  of  that  steady  and  healthy 
reenforcement  of  the  work  which  would  have  cared  for 
the  growth  as  it  developed,  there  have  been  years  when 
only  five  or  six  men  were  available  for  oversight  of  the 
multiplying  churches,  and  among  them  only  one  or  two 
who  were  qualified  by  years  of  experience  and  knowledge 
of  the  language  to  bear  the  burden  with  any  degree  of 
facility.  This  was  due  to  the  lack  of  response  on  the 
part  of  the  church  at  large  to  the  appeal  from  the  Mission- 
ary Society,  and  we  trust  that  that  day  is  ended  forever. 
A recent  reenforcement  of  seven  young  men  has  greatly 
strengthened  the  force  of  missionaries.  At  the  Annual 
Meeting,  held  in  June,  1905,  a call  was  issued  for  twenty 
more  men.  This  was  an  understatement  rather  than  an 
overstatement  of  our  actual  needs.  The  church  should 
plan  for  a staff  of  permanent  missionaries  in  Korea,  num- 
bering not  less  than  fifty  men.  They  would  cost  this 
great  Methodism  of  ours  an  annual  budget  of  probably 
$125,000,  but  this  would  be  a very  small  sum  for  our 
church  to  give  in  order  to  see  twelve  millions  of  souls 
evangelized  within  half  a century.  A work  adequately 
manned  and  supported  in  Korea,  such  as  I have  outlined 

41 


would  gather  in  within  the  period  suggested  not  less  than 
a million  of  souls  for  Jesus  Christ,  and  a million  of  Chris- 
• tians  under  our  care,  added  to  the  other  multitudes  that 
would  be  under  our  sister  missions  in  Korea,  would  settle 
the  question  as  to  whether  Korea  would  belong  to  the 
Lord  or  not. 

An  interesting  development  of  the  period  under  re- 
view, and  one  which  effectively  illustrates  the  interaction 
of  foreign  and  home  missions,  has  come  about  in  connection 
with  an  emigration  of  the  Koreans  to  Hawaii. 
Transplanting  About  8,000  of  them  have  come  to  the 
the  Church  islands,  and  been  employed  many  of  them 
in  Hawaii  on  the  sugar  plantations,  while  others  have 

found  independent  employment  or  have  come 
on  to  the  Pacific  Coast  and  the  United  States.  The  first 
company  of  emigrants  from  Korea  numbered  70, 
among  them  being  28  Christians  from  the  churches 
on  the  West  Korea  District.  These  organized  a 

prayer  meeting  in  the  steerage  of  their  ship  and  carried  on 
Christian  work  among  their  fellow  emigrants,  so  that  when 
they  landed  under  the  stars  and  stripes  they  had  a Korean 
Methodist  Episcopal  Church  organized,  and  58  of 
the  company  were  members.  This  good  work  has  con- 
tinued on,  and  to-day  fully  twenty-five  per  cent  of  the 
Koreans  in  Hawaii  are  members  or  attendants  upon 
Christian  services.  From  the  very  first  Dr.  Pearson,  and 
later  his  successor,  Dr.  Wadman,  superintendent  of  the 
Japanese  Mission  in  Hawaii,  have  given  this  work  their 
earnest  thought  and  care.  Much  credit  is  also  due  to  the 
interest  and  cooperation  of  the  planters  in  Hawaii 
themselves,  who  have  encouraged  the  work  and  contributed 
liberally  to  its  support.  Thus  the  Korean  emigrants, 
instead  of  constituting  a great  home  missionary  problem, 
have  brought  into  our  land  a practical  illustration  of 
the  far-reaching  character  of  foreign  missionary  work  in 
other  lands,  and  constitute  an  inspiration  both  to  larger 
faith  and  larger  endeavor  for  the  evangelization  of  non- 
Christian  people. 

An  analysis  of  the  marvelous  success  of 
Three  Factors  Christian  missions  in  Korea  will  show  that, 
among  several  others,  three  factors  stand  out 
in  especial  importance. 


42 


First,  the  emphasis  placed  upon  self-support.  From 
the  earliest  years  of  the  Mission,  the  Koreans  have  been 
taught  that  the  final  and  complete  evangelization  of  their 
people  rests  with  them,  and  that  the  purpose 
Self-support  of  the  foreign  missionary  is  to  inaugurate 
the  work  and  then  cooperate  with  Korean 
Christians  in  extending  it.  This  position  has  been  ac- 


KORF.AN  WORKERS  IN  HAWAII 


cepted  by  the  Korean  Christians  and  the  Korean  type  is 
that  of  a man  who  places  all  his  possessions  in  the  hands 
of  the  Lord  for  his  work.  A happy  illustration  of  this 
43 


occurred  in  our  work  in  the  North  District.  Dr.  W. 
Arthur  Noble  led  to  Christ  a sturdy  specimen  of  the 
northern  Korean.  He  was  the  first  convert  in  his  village, 
and  his  house  was  the  first  meeting  place.  After  a while 
the  village  church  grew  too  large  for  its  quarters  and  put 
up  a chapel  of  its  own.  Then  there  was  a debt  which 
had  to  be  paid.  There  was  no  money  with  which  to  pay 
it,  as  the  little  group  had  exhausted  their  resources.  This 
leader,  however,  had  one  thing  he  could  sell — his  ox  with 
which  he  did  his  plowing.  One  day  he  led  it  off  to  the 
marketplace,  sold  it,  and  paid  the  debt  on  the  church. 
The  next  spring  when  the  missionary  visited  this  village 
he  inquired  for  the  leader  and  was  told  that  he  was  out  in 
the  field  plowing.  He  walked  down  the  road  to  the  field, 
and  this  is  what  he  saw:  holding  the  handles  of  the  plow 
was  the  old,  gray-haired  father  of  the  family,  and  hitched 
in  the  traces  where  the  ox  should  have  been  was  this 
Korean  Christian  and  his  brother,  dragging  his  plow  through 
the  fields  that  year  themselves.  Doubtless  also  there  was 
another  whom  mortal  eye  could  not  see,  with  form  like 
unto  the  Son  of  God,  hitched  in  the  yoke  with  these 
humble  Korean  Christians,  making  their  burdens  light 
and  the  yoke  easy  that  year. 

Second,  the  extreme  fruitfulness  of  the  Korean  field. 
Exhausted  by  generations  of  misgovernment  and  the 
oppressions  and  exactions  of  the  ruling  class,  disappointed 
and  in  despair  through  the  failure  of  every  measure 
Ready  undertaken  for  the  relief  of  the  people  under  native 
Response  leadership,  tired  out  and  wearied  with  the  barrenness 
of  pagan  beliefs  and  religions,  the  Koreans  have 
turned  as  instinctively  to  the  gospel  as  the  flower  to  the 
sunshine.  There  has  been  a lack  of  competition  with 
Christianity  up  to  the  present  time  in  Korea,  which  has 
given  Christian  missions  a fair  field.  No  startling  politi- 
cal change  or  disturbance  of  the  social  order,  no  great  edu- 
cational development  or  commercial  expansion,  no  large 
military  and  naval  reformation  has  taken  place  to  chal- 
lenge and  hold  the  attention  of  the  people  and  divert  them 
from  Christianity.  Christian  missions  and  the  work  done 
by  them  have  constituted  the  only  living  thing  in  sight. 
Aside  from  the  ruling  and  literary  classes,  who  constitute 
a very  small  percentage  of  the  people,  the  native  religions 

44 


possess  but  a very  light  hold  over  the  mass  of  the  people. 
There  is  not  in  Korea  that  strength  and  virility  in  the 
devotion  of  the  ordinary  Korean  to  his  native  religions 
which  comes  from  a nationalistic  idea  associated  with 
them.  These  things  all  unite  with  many  others  to  con- 
stitute Korea  a peculiarly  fruitful  field.  Now  that  Korea 
is  entering  upon  a new  movement  under  the  leadership 
of  Japan,  these  conditions  will  undoubtedly  during  the 
earlier  years  of  this  movement  be  greatly  emphasized  in 
the  native  thought,  and  if  the  Christian  church  can  wisely 
seize  this  opportunity  and  hurry  workers  into  the  field 
the  harvest  will  be  very  great. 

The  third  great  factor  has  been  the  spirit  of  union  and 
cooperation  which  has  prevailed  among  the  Presbyterian 
and  Methodist  Missions  from  the  very  inception  of  the 
work.  There  has  been  an  absence  of  all  secta- 
Cooperation  rian  jealousy  and  petty  rivalry,  which  has  made 
the  field  a delightful  one  in  which  to  work. 
Mission  policies,  as  a rule,  have  been  projected  along 
converging  lines,  looking  eventually  to  the  founding  of 
one  Christian  Church  in  Korea.  We  have  already  hinted 
at  the  extent  to  which  this  has  gone  in  connection 
with  theological  instruction.  The  sentiment  of  the 
missions  found  a most  enthusiastic  expression  at  the 
time  of  Bishop  Harris’s  visit  to  Seoul,  June,  1905.  At 
that  time  a joint  meeting  of  Presbyterian  and  Methodist 
missionaries  concluded  that  a union  of  educational,  medi- 
cal. publicational.  anil  all  institutional  work  was  desirable, 
and  steps  were  taken  to  inquire  into  the  feasibility  of  it 
and  to  work  out  the  details  by  which  centrally  located  and 
adequately  manned  institutions,  under  the  joint  auspices  of 
the  MC-ions  in  Korea,  might  be  established.  Furthermore, 
it  was  decided  that  denominational  names  should  be  dis- 
pensed with  in  Korea,  and  that  the  one  common  church, 
under  the  direction  of  Presbyterians  and  Methodists, 
should  lie  known  as  the  “Taihan  Yesu  Kyohoi,”  which 
means  the  Jesus  Church  of  Taihan.  A further  suggestion 
was  made  that  all  the  male  missionaries  of  these  mis- 
sions in  Korea  be  organized  into  a general  council, 
to  discuss  policies  and  direct,  as  far  as  may  be  ex- 
pedient, the  activities  of  the  church.  This  is  certainly 
ideal  and  a great  cause  for  gratitude.  It  still  remains  to 

45 


be  tested  whether  the  details  can  be  worked  out  so  that 
the  wishes  of  the  missionaries  may  be  realized,  but  aside 
from  any  other  lesson  it  may  teach,  it  proves  conclusively 
that  evangelical  missionaries  are  presenting  an  unbroken 
front  to  heathenism  in  Korea,  and  that  there  is  a real  union 
of  heart  and  hand  among  them  to  build  up  the  Master’s 
kingdom. 

LITERATURE 

Three  excellent  books  on  Korea,  from  the  point  of  view 
of  the  missionaries,  are  Korean  Skctch.es  and  The  Yaiiguard, 
both  by  J.  S.  Gale,  $1.00,  $1.50;  and  Every-Day  Life  in 
Korea,  D.  L.  Gifford,  $1.25.  Helpful  works  from  the 
traveler  and  student  are  Korea  ana  Her  Neighbors,  Mrs. 
Isabella  Bird  Bishop,  $2.00;  and  Corea,  the  Hermit  Nation, 
W.  E.  Griffis,  $2.50. 

STATISTICS  FOR  1905 

METHODIST  EPISCOPAL 


Presiding  Elders’  Districts .4 

Members  in  full  connection 2,457 

Probationers 5,339 

Enrolled  inquirers 6,513 

Local  preachers . 27 

Sunday  schools 76 

Sunday  school  scholars 4.622 

Churches  and  chapels Ill 

Amount  given  by  native  church $3,600 

Total  church  enrollment 14,309 


Estimated  church  enrollment  of  Methodist  Episco- 


pal Church.  South 2.000 

Estimated  church  enrollment,  Presbyterian  and 

other  Evangelical  Churches 50,000 


be  tested  whether  the  detail*  PQ11  l 


i-U  _ 


DATE  DUE 


SE  7 78 

iPR  3 u 197! 

f 

't k 

DEMC  O 38-297 

